Rennart DeWitt
by BurningFoxNX02
Summary: Warmings: OC heavy and set partially in the Borba-verse. Following BtbA, Nick Wilde leaves Zootopia for Rapture to start life over with a new name... Story told through journal entries.
1. January

I do not own Zootopia or the Bioshock series. Zootopia is property of Disney and Bioshock is property of 2K games.

Date: Wednesday, January 3rd  
Time: 11:44 AM  
I've left my life on the surface behind to live in this underwater city. Rapture, the place where nightmares are born. Or so they say. Hopefully, no one from my old life will ever find me here. Dunno' why they'd come anyway.  
In other news, what got me to come down here is that someone apparently got the bright idea to rebuild this place and run the horribly mutated original inhabitants out. Propaganda all over the place says we're doin' 'em a favor by puttin' 'em outta' their misery. Maybe... Just maybe...  
Nicholas Wilde  
Time: 4:47 PM  
Got settled in my new place. Still smells like blood in here. Heard the original owner of my pad was murdered in his sleep after his teenage son went splicer. Hear stories about the prior inhabitants of the city like that all the time. Rapture, where nightmares were born, is right...  
Gonna' give this new pad a thorough scrubbing with the bleach and start burning some incense candles. Maybe drown out the scent 'til it fades on it's own.  
Nicholas Wilde

Date: Friday, January 5th  
Time: 10:27 AM  
Met my employer, fella' introduced himself as James Fisk. Seems like a nice guy, got me set up with a new name and moved me into some place that don't smell like blood. Joy for the small victories in life. On the other hand, he's gonna' have me fitted for one of those tin-cans they stuffed guys into to make Big Daddies. I don't care for that thought one bit, then again, I've talked to a few guys who claim to be "new Big Daddies" and they seem normal to me. Wait and see, I guess...  
Nicholas Wilde is no more, time to officially start my new life...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Monday, January 8th  
Time: 9:12 AM  
Can't be too long writing this. Gotta' help with a leak in Sector 27-Alpha. Turns out those fears were unsubstantiated. Yeah it's the same armor-plated dive suits that Big Daddies used to use but none of that gene therapy and mutating bullshit was done to us. We're still just ordinary guys underneath. Fix shit and fight off splicers. Not the greatest job in the world but we get to keep whatever goodies we find on the bodies of those spliced-up retards...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Thursday, January 11th  
Time: 12:42 PM  
I hate slow days... Too much time to think. At least when I'm fixing leaks or fighting splicers, I can distract my mind by focusing on that task. I still think about Hopps. I shouldn't... Rennart DeWitt doesn't even know this Judith Hopps... The problem is, Nicholas Wilde does... I thought I'd killed the last traces of Nick Wilde inside me but he's still there and that pathetic idiot is still holding on to her... How do I get rid of him? How do I get rid of the thoughts of her?  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Saturday, January 13th  
Time: 3:44 PM  
During the last skirmish yesterday, I found an intact record player and some vinyl records. Surprising, but it was in that old entertainment shopping center, Fort Frolic. Glad I don't have to meet that Sander Cohen guy, I hear he went completely bonkers even before he was a splicer. Record player needed a few tune-ups here and there and a bit of fine-tuning. Nothing a handyman fox can't fix... The old baby's putting out some fine old tunes. I might take a trip to the surface with the next bathysphere that goes up and head ashore to find some new records.  
With some classic tunes playing in my ears while I'm at home, I've begun putting my brainpower to more productive ends... Thinking of starting my own business down here... DeWitt's Baked Goods...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Wednesday, January 17th  
Time: 7:44 PM  
Back home after a shitty couple days on the surface. Tried three motels to check into before finding one with vacancies. Ran into that rabbit... Y'know the one, Nick Wilde's lesbien ex-lover... As Nick Wilde, I'm still in love with her apparently, as Rennart DeWitt, I know better... She had the gall to tell me how I should live...! After everything she's done to me! She can go back to whatever the hell she does with that Shay skank...! I gave her everything I had and she ripped my heart out! She can drown!  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Saturday, January 20th  
Time: 8:30 PM  
We had a company meeting tonight... Mr. Fisk and the other talking heads up top have finally decided that it's time to reclaim and repair Hephaestus. Unfortunately, Hephaestus is still a hotspot of splicer activity. We're gonna' be up to our elbows in spliced-up morons. Please, whatever gods may hear this, please no more houdinis... Hate those fuckers...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Sunday, January 21st  
Time: 9:57 PM  
We lost three guys in Hephaestus today... Somehow the splicers knew we were coming and were entreanched, complete with tripwires and proximity mines. Still managed to clear them out, set up round the clock security points. I'll be away from home for the next week or so, stationed here. Gotta' sign off soon, I'm on repair duty tomorrow...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Thursday, January 25th  
Time: 7:22 PM  
I've been put on medical leave, "mental issues"... Get this, I'm on security patrol walking around, looking tough, and keeping an eye out for any of those damned mutant drug-fiends when my short-wave starts goin' off. Guy on the other ends sounds exactly like me and calls himself "Nick Wilde". Starts goin' on and on about how much I miss her. I finally snap and tell him to shut his damn mouth, even go so far as to throw my short-wave. Supervisor looks at me funny, tells me my short-wave wasn't even turned on. When we find the damn thing, it's in peices and somehow "Wilde's" still talkin' through it! What the hell...!? Supervisor asked me if Rennart was the name I was born with or if I had it reassigned when I came to live in Rapture. I told him the truth, he sent me back to Athena's Glory with a recommendation to talk to a shrink.  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Friday, January 26th  
Time: 12:30 PM  
Shrink says I have some psychological condition unique to Rapture called "Burial at Sea" Syndrome. Apparently, BaS affects people who came here to bury their previous lives and start over. Doc said I need to "sort things out with my old self", that it's the only effective treatment. I don't wanna' talk to that pathetic lump who is somehow still alive in my head but he said untreated it would eventually make me go completely crackers. So I'm on house-arrest until I'm "better". My short-wave sits on my coffee table in peices. Guess I'll start tryin' to fix the damn thing...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Monday, January 28th  
Time: 4:30 AM  
Goddamnit Nick! I wake up to my short-wave goin' off only to find out it's my damn BaS. Stupid radio is still in peices. I talked to myself, literally, for four and a half hours before going back to bed pissed off. That damned idiot...! The entire time I argued with my other self, he made no outstanding points about going back to her. Just kept saying that I should... I finally told him that maybe I should go for a walk outside Rapture's airlocks without my Big Daddy suit while I'm at it... I swear, if he were a real person instead of my former self I'd put my plasma welder through his skull for putting me through this shit...  
Rennart DeWitt  
Time: 12:21 PM  
I guess it's kinda' cool to live under the sea... Woke up to see a school of small colorful fish swim by my window. Made myself a pot of coffee and just watched the sea life pass by... He tried to start talking but I turned on my record player to tune him out. This is nice... At least I have a way to shut him up when I want some peace and quiet...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Tuesday, January 29th  
Time: 4:27 AM  
Another rude awakening coutesy of my former self. I let him speak his peace, that I need her in my life. I was the happiest I had ever been with her. Then I made my rebuttal... "What do you think would happen if I did? She would throw me out and blame everything on me again. Probably get a restraining order and we'd be right back to where we are right now. No thank you... I'm not giving her the pleasure of ruining me a third time. Face the facts, she never loved me! She was using me! That's the last word on it!" Silence followed and I felt a huge burden lift. Am... Am I cured?  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Friday, January 30th  
Time: 9:22 PM  
I haven't heard from Nick Wilde since my last entry. Talked to the doctor today and he says that I'm showing progress but it'll be a while before my BaS abates completely. He did ask some probing questions, the nature of the split from my old identity and why I moved to Rapture. Once again, I see no reason to hide it. I mean he can't help me if he doesn't know. I didn't tell him everything, just that it all has to do with my bitch of an ex-girlfriend. He said getting a new girlfriend might help but I just don't know if I'm ready...  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Tuesday, February 3rd  
Time: 8:52 PM  
Mr. Fisk has me on strictly repair-only duties until the shrink clears me for combat-oriented roles. Kinda' sad, I'll miss the extra loot and the exploration but I guess this can be nice too. A few guys from work heard about the doctor's "prescription" and took me to the Kashmir for dinner and a few drinks. The "amatuer singer" they had on stage tonight is a real looker, a light brown otter goes by the name Magnolia Kaldwin, sings like an angel. The guys dared me to talk to her, glad I did. She's someone like me, came down here to get away from the world on the surface. British girl, comes from wealth, parents tried to marry her off to some guy she absolutely hated. Says she thought she was prepared for her life to be rough since she grew up priviledged but had no idea that she lacked so many important life-skills. Sings for her meals now... Dunno' if you could call us dating but we've actually become fast friends... We're catching a movie tomorrow night at Fleet Hall... Wow, now that I actually write that out, I'm really nervous about this...  
Rennart DeWitt


	2. February

Date: Wednesday, February 4th

Time: 12:26 AM

Ok, I'll admit. That was a great first date. Nothing too sappy happened, I told her a bit about my sordid history. Again, not too many details, and she agreed that if we start dating romantically we should take it slow. I also warned her about my issues and Burial at Sea Syndrome, hopefully she won't suffer from it like I-... am? did? I dunno', take your pick...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Saturday, February 7th

Time: 11:27 AM

We met up at the station to have a walk around Arcadia together, just two friends hanging out, talking, getting to know each other. The guys at work tease me about having a new girlfriend. I dunno' about that but I just laugh off the teasing, they mean well and don't know about my past. She told me that being around all these trees makes her want to go swimming. I told her "good luck but that water is cold as hell, I can feel how cold it is through my dive suit". Maybe not a bright idea, Maggie is a sharp girl and caught on quick that I'm a Big Daddy. She got upset that I didn't tell her and shouted at me a bit... I can see where she's coming from, maybe that's why I didn't have it in me to argue it with her. I explained to her that for now, I needed the job but I'd figure out something else...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Tuesday, February 9th

Time: 9:44 PM

Work and hanging out with Maggie. We didn't talk much today. I guess she's still mad I didn't tell her about being a Big Daddy. I dunno' though, she seemed concerned about something else...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Wednesday, February 10th

Time: 5:14 PM

I had just gotten off work, still in the overalls I have to wear under my dive-suit when she came running to me looking spooked. She told me that she'd heard her parents' voices from her AM/FM radio. They were practically shouting at her to come home and that if she didn't they would send someone to kill me. She said she's seriously considering it. I managed to calm her down and convince her to see the same shrink...

Fantastic, looks like she has Burial at Sea Syndrome... I was hoping I could help her avoid it... "Sort things out", poor girl's not good at confronting her parents. That's why she felt like she had no choice but to run away and start over...

Rennart DeWitt

Time: 8:22 PM

Against better judgement, I'm letting Maggie sleep over at my place. She says she can't stand to be alone right now... I know, bad idea 'cause y'never know what might happen between a man and a woman in the middle of the night. Plus, way I've heard it, when a woman goes nuts from BaS it can get bad. But that's why I'm here, to help her through it... I caught some grief from some of my coworkers but Maggie is my first real friend here in Rapture... I know it seems harsh, but I don't fully trust Mr. Fisk or the other talking heads...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Thursday, February 11th

Time: 7:22 AM

Maggie's BaS was acting up. The "source" was my record player, guess I should be grateful she didn't "Hulk Smash!" it... I held her paw and tried to get a perspective on what she's goin' through but I can only hear her side of the conversation... Is this what it's like to see Burial at Sea Syndrome from the outside? She apparently listened to her other self go off on her for some time using her parents' voices against her... Finally, she shouted back... It nearly scared me! She protested loudly that she would never go back home and that her parents can choke for not teaching her any life skills and trying to shove her into a gold-digging marriage with a slob she couldn't stand to be around. Apparently, the voice tried to scare her by bringing me up again but she shut them down by telling them about my job.

After all that, she headed immediately to my kitchen and started browsing my freezer. She asked if I had any ice cream and if she could have any... I didn't but I offer to take her somewhere to get some... She looks stressed but relieved...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Friday, February 12th

Time: 5:22 PM

Lemme' see... How do I work this bloody thing...? Hmm? Is-is it on? Bloody 'ell... Ren asked me to recount the day inta' this thing... Not sure if I'm doin' it right... Uhh... Lessee... I think I'm feelin' a tad better after all that 'orrible business with me head issues... He worked t'day an' we had tea together, slow day for 'im he says. I wouldn' know about bein' a Big Daddy... Says he still ain' back to full duty, jus' repair jobs 'ere and there. Lucky me t' 'ave a friend like 'im down 'ere. We been friends f'r 's long 's I been down 'ere... Dunno' much about 'im as "Nick" but th' girl who put 'im out is a buggin' twit...

Magnolia Kaldwin

Date: Saturday, February 13th

Time: 12:11 PM

Spent the day together again. Maggie asked me to teach her how to take care of herself. I know it sounds strange but she needs to learn life skills, growin' up a spoiled rich kid and suddenly being thrust out into the world with no life skills is a terrible thing. She's a smart girl, I'm sure she already understands. Cooking, washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning up trash. I had to teach her the difference between a trash can and a pnuemo tube. I made that mistake tryin' to get used to this city, lemme tell ya' the guys who operate the pnuemo tubes were not amused by that...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Tuesday, February 15th

Time: 4:42 PM

I got off work today to find Maggie downcasted. She'd ruined a beautiful dress she'd saved up for after coming down here. She said it was the first thing she'd bought with money of her own that she'd earned. She didn't see the "dryclean only" tag on it and her washing machine shredded it. I agreed to buy her a new dress and we spent the rest of the day shopping. In spite of how tiresome today had been at work, I had fun with her. I expected a snobby rich girl to be more high-maitenence but she needed very little reminder that neither of us have the money her former family have. She tried on three new dresses before settling on a red one that I'm sure she only got just to tempt me... Still... Maggie is a cutie... And that smile of hers can light up every dark corner of Rapture...

Rennart DeWitt

Time: 7:39 PM

I got home and laid down to go to sleep only to hear my short-wave. "Nick" again, looks like my Burial at Sea is back. What's his deal this time? Why, telling me to go back to Judith again of course... Adding in that Maggie isn't right for me... Trying to tell me that Judith is my soulmate... Bullshit! I don't even know if I wanna' date Maggie yet and I already know I would rather try her than try to get back with Judith... I left Zootopia to come to Rapture for a reason, dumbass...!

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Friday, February 18th

Time: 6:27 PM

We were eating dinner together at the Kashmir when Maggie tells me she got a new job. She's a swim-instructor at Adonis. I'm happy for her... Sort of... I'm not sure... The thought of her in a bikini does make my tail wag more than I care to admit but at the same time, I know other guys might get the same thought through their minds... Some more willing to act on it... I tell her that I'm happy for her but worried she might encounter some guys who might try to take advantage of her. She tells me she'll be fine, she's enlisting in some martial arts classes... I hope she'll be ok...

Says she starts her new job on Monday, good luck Maggie...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Monday, February 21st

Time: 7:19 PM

She seems stressed... I asked her what happened and turns out I was partially right, she spent more of her workday turning away lustful and lovelorn fools who decided to hit on her... I asked if she even felt like eating out or if she just wanted to eat at my place and relax. She agreed to my place. We've known each other for almost a month already and I feel like I've known her my entire life... Well, that's not exactly inaccurate... Rennart DeWitt has known Magnolia Kaldwin his entire life... As we finished eating, she reached out and grabbed my wrist before I finished gathering up the dishes. "I'm in love with you, Ren!" she declares. Mercy! I nearly fell over at that announcement. I tell her that I'm not ready to be in another relationship yet but I'll let her know when I am. I also tell her that I think anyone she chooses to be with would be incredibly lucky to have her.

Maybe I'll tell her I changed my mind tomorrow...? I dunno' I think I'm in love with her but for some reason I still think about Judith...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Wednesday, February 23rd

Time: 9:47 AM

This is it! I'm going to Adonis, I'm gonna' bring every ounce of my charms and ask Maggie if we can start dating as a couple. I need to be clear and tell her that even though I want this, I still want to go slowly. Deep breaths, Ren, deep breaths...

Rennart DeWitt

Time: 12:16 PM

Success! I stumbled with my words and stuttered but I managed to convey my feelings... Damn, she looks even better in a bikini than I thought. Thankfully, she was on her first break of the day... So the only thing her boss gave her grief over was the Public Display of Affection, when she practically leapt into my arms out of joy.

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Satuday, February 26th

Time: 11:42 PM

Bloody 'ell! I'm over th' bloody moon right now...! Spent th' whole day with Ren, first date as a datin' couple. 'S late, stayin' over, prolly not the greatest idea but t' 'ell with it! We even had a big long smooch at th' end of our day out... Most wonderful feelin' I've ever had in me entire life... It's still causin' me fur t' stand on end, jus' thinkin' 'bout that long kiss and 'is arms 'round me...

'Is last girlfriend's a bloody twit...!

Magnolia Kaldwin

Date: Sunday, February 27th

Time: 10:22 AM

We stayed up late talking, playing a few board games, cards, listening to music. I even bought some ice cream that we enjoyed together through the night. Overall, it was a great night. When we finally did turn in, as has become our usual, I took the couch. I told her this would be one thing I would not be able to jump right back into right away. It's strange... Our bond seems so natural... To be honest, I think I have better chemistry with Maggie than I ever did with... No, stop right there, Ren. You will NOT compare them! Maggie is your girlfriend now, and that rabbit is nothing but a memory to you... A memory that does not deserve to be remembered...

Rennart DeWitt

Time: 4:30 PM

As much as I tried not to compare them, "Nick" just had to make that comparison... Of course, from "his" end that rabbit is better than my Maggie... I wanted to pick up my short-wave and throw it again! Strangely though, his voice is coming through feinter... May just be me... Maggie held my paw, the same way I held hers when she went through this the first time...

Rennart DeWitt

Date: Monday, February 28th

Time: 7:40 PM

We laid together talking, cuddling, and occasionally making out on my couch. Listening to some soft music from the record player. Her soft silky fur feels so good and, I don't know if it's instinct, but her tail has wrapped around mine and it feels strange but amazing. After one of the longer kisses, I told her, "I love you, Maggie". She replied immediately by kissing me again followed by "Love you too, Ren". Keep kissing me like that Maggie… The more you do, the more I forget my old life. Heh, so much for easing into this… Guess life had other plans...

Rennart DeWitt


	3. March

Date: Wednesday, March 2nd  
Time: 4:30 PM  
Another casual date in Arcadia. We decided to pack a lunch and make a picnic out of it. I think the reason my last relationship ended so terribly is because we let things get too complicated between the two of us… Things with me and Maggie are so simple that it's like we don't even need to try… Maybe it's because we understand each other so well, maybe it's because we've supported each other… Whatever the case, thanks to her, I'm starting to like Rapture. Weird huh? That Civil War so many years ago turned this city into a warzone, add the splicers to the mix and that's a recipe for disaster… Then there was that sheep lady that made Bellwether look sane by comparison… I don't really care how or why but Rapture is being rebuilt and it's being offered as a safe-haven for people who want to start over…  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 6:20 PM  
As we're packing up our picnic, another tod approaches us and asks us not to pack up just yet. He wants to paint us, says he'll pay for our time. He speaks with a thick Asian accent. I'm about to refuse but Maggie gives me that adorable smile that I can't say no to… So, we sit back down and let this guy do his pre-painting sketch. He lets us see it before paying us for our time, then promises he'll let us see it when he's done painting it. I can tell two things about this guy, first he's serious about his artwork, and second he must be pretty athletic.  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Thursday, March 3rd  
Time: 3:48 PM  
Maggie loves Arcadia, I can't blame her… This part of Rapture is very quiet and serene. We actually formally met our artist friend. He introduced himself as Yusuke Sakamoto, an aspiring Japanese artist. He apologized profusely for his attitude yesterday but he gets so enthused about his artwork that before he knows it, he's done something insensitive to someone else. From all I can tell, he's a nice, laidback, well-meaning guy who's just passionate about painting... He told us about a muse he wants to paint more than anything in the world… A woman he says is more radiant than the sun. Sounds to me like he's in love with her…  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 5:18 PM  
I decided while Ren 'as talkin' t' our new friend I'd go an' meet this lady Yusuke 'as bendin' our ears 'bout. I'll admit, she's a lovely lass… Prolly shouldn' call 'er a lass, she's at least in 'er right early 20s 'r so… Out at Farmer's Market, sellin' some pretty flowers. Says she grows 'em 'erself, right here in Arcadia… Sells honey too, mus' be keepin' bees as well… Me an' her gets to talkin' introduces 'erself as Alison Gainsborogh… She's not like me 't all, when I came down 'ere I didn' know a thing 'bout survivin' on me own but she got things figured out for 'erself… 'Ventually, Ren an' Yusuke do catch up with me an' with some encouragement, Yusuke manages to ask Alice to model for 'is paintings. She took offense t' it at first but bein' th' patient sort, let 'im speak 'is peace. She did 'ventually agree…  
Magnolia Kaldwin

Date: Friday, March 4th  
Time: 7:44 AM  
Another night spent together… We have to stop passing out on the couch together… I feel wrong and dirty about it but it feels amazing in the moment… I go back to full-duty today. Yay, back to putting extra holes in murderously psychotic drug-addict mutants… On the bright side, I found out where they're sending me… The former HQ of one Augustus Sinclair, from all the recon sweeps in the area, the talking heads aren't expecting too many splicers… But we're being sent in to be sure… Maggie seems worried about me going along but I reassured her that I'll be careful…  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 6:55 PM  
Ok, I'm starting to think that they're aware of something going on… They seemed coordinated and the recon information we had didn't account for even half of the number of splicers we encountered today. Thankfully, we managed to rout them and not lose anyone… Unfortunately, we couldn't establish a foothold in the area. I told Mr. Fisk about how I think the splicers might be better organized than we originally thought, he actually took me seriously and seemed concerned. He told me he'd bring it up with the other talking heads… There's no way in hell I'm telling Maggie about this…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Sunday, March 6th  
Time: 12:22 PM  
Today I talked to Maggie, Yu, and Alice about my plan to start a bakery. Yusuke seems to think a sandwich shop would be better. Maggie has an idea about where to start it up. Alice said she'd help in anyway she can but she doesn't know anything about baking. Maggie talked about her coworkers in Adonis who often get off work hungry and have talked openly in the locker rooms about finding something to eat after work. As good a place as any, especially since my lovely Maggie offered to introduce me to my clientele… I just need to approach the talking heads about getting my sandwichera started…!  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Wednesday, March 9th  
Time: 3:47 PM  
I told Mr. Fisk I wanted to open up my own sandwich place and he brought me before the others to talk about my plan. There was some grumbling from the guys up top but Mr. Fisk seemed to have my back. "Rapture," he said, "Where the sweat of a mammal's brow belongs to them! Rapture, where greatness can be seized by anyone if they have the drive to grasp for it! Even if Mr. DeWitt's restaurant fails, who are we to deny him his chance for greatness? Wouldn't Andrew Lyan give Mr. DeWitt a chance? That's why we decided to try to rebuild Rapture, to honor a once great man and his ideals!" They gave me my business permit and a "business grant" to pursue this restaurant idea. It was awfully nice of Mr. Fisk to stick his neck out for me, maybe I misjudged him. I went to thank him and he smiled at me and told me that he honestly believed every word he had spoken in that meeting. Andrew Lyan, I always thought he was just a madman that stumbled into a brilliant idea that collapsed from its own weight…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Tuesday, March 15th  
Time: 6:42 PM  
Got our location and started cleaning it up. Took us all week to get it presentable. Some of the windows were busted out had to shell out to get them replaced. We got the kitchen in working order in time for the health inspector's first visit but we've hit a bit of a speedbump. After spending an hour and a half staring at a blank wall in the dining area, Yusuke ran off and came back 2 hours later with buckets of wall paint. Then starts up on that wall like a madman. I will never understand how artists think…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Sunday, March 20th  
Time: 5:22 PM  
Busy week. Mine and Maggie's coworkers volunteered their time off to help out. Alice came to help out once in a while but with Spring having just started her bees are keeping her busy. Yusuke is still working on that wall. In spite of any noise around him, he's still going. Rapture could fall apart again and he wouldn't notice at this point. We'll be ready by next Sunday, I think…

Rennart DeWitt  
Date: Monday, I think…? Sometime in March  
Time: Unknown  
I have been hearing that Rennart is planning his opening for this upcoming Sunday. My timetable to complete this work is closing. I must have it done by the end of the week, it must be completed by this weekend. This concept is difficult to fully grasp, it is an abstract thing "friendship", abstract and yet beautiful, and never in my life have I worked with such a large canvas as an entire wall. Rennart continues his work to ready his restaurant with his dear Magnolia at his side, both are curious as to my actions but neither have disturbed me. Alison on the other hand, she appears quite upset with me. I will hear her harsh words for me when this masterpiece is completed. I must hurry, even if it means forgoing sleep. I must complete this work and be there to gauge my friends' reactions to it when it is done. Rennart has also expressed his desire to see me at the opening ceremony. I shall endeavor to meet his desire and to complete this mural.  
Sakamoto Yusuke

Date: Thursday, March 24th  
Time: 8:30 PM  
That Yusuke! He won't help out around here! He just keeps going with making a mess on the back wall and I think he's been neglecting eating and sleeping…! I try getting him away from it, but it just goes in one ear and out the other! Ren laughed and told me to just let him be… But still…! *sigh* I'll leave him something to eat again before I leave for the night… I swear… I thought only my ex was this stubborn about anything…  
Alison Gainsborogh

Date: Saturday, March 26th  
Time: 8:22 PM  
I'm actually excited about this… More excited than when I graduated from the Police Academy as Nick Wilde… I've heard Maggie giggle at my childlike excitement but I can't help it… I also find that giggle intoxicatingly adorable… Tomorrow is finally the day, I talked to Mr. Fisk about it as apparently, one of the talking heads needs to be present to cut the ribbon and make the dedication speech… He once again agreed to be my second. Also, he said that the council was seriously looking into that issue I brought up about the splicers being organized… Turns out, they're getting desperate, desperate enough to work together… Hope everything will be alright... He reassured me that if worst comes to worst, they're gonna' quarantine the hotbed areas and flood them with seawater…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Sunday, March 27th  
Time: 9:42 PM  
Today was amazing! We finally opened and I was taken away by how popular our restaurant is already…! *Maggie giggles in the background* "You're so cute, Ren…" You're calling me cute? Have you looked in a mirror lately, hon? *laughing* The cherry on top is that we finally see what Yusuke has been painting all week. It's a mural of the Lighthouse with a boat parked at it's stairway. In the mural are four people getting off the boat and onto the stairway. From what I could tell, me, Maggie, Yusuke, and Alice. He calls it "New Life, New Friendships, New Rapture". He had his chest puffed out during opening and throughout the day, even though he looked tired. Some art critics came to have a look at it and had some tea and-... Maggie, what did you call those things? "Crumpets" Yeah, crumpets… Apparently, Maggie had them a lot back in Britain and apparently Alice knows how to make them and taught Maggie… "Alice has been me best mate…" What about me? *silence, presumably kissing* "You're me love… 'At's different…" Anyway, Alice lectured Yusuke a bit about not helping more and not taking care of himself but he didn't seem to care. He was just so proud of his work. It really is a beautiful mural…  
Rennart DeWitt "and Magnolia Kaldwin"

Date: Tuesday, March 29th  
Time: 6:22 PM  
Just a minor note today, apparently the Rapture communication grid is finally online. I got 157 new texts on my cellphone. I knew I was forgetting to throw that thing away. All of them from Judith... Again, she can drown...  
Rennart DeWitt

Extra bit:  
Dedication speech by James Fisk  
"Today we acknowledge the efforts and vision of the esteemed Mr. Rennart DeWitt. Today he opens his sandwich restaurant, here in Adonis, a story retold countless times, that all men and women of all races have vision but only a few ever have the drive to reach for it. I am pleased to be the one to declare Mr. DeWitt's restaurant, "DeWitt's Sandwichera" open for business! May he prosper in his endeavors!"  
Attached photo by the New Rapture Times newspaper

(AN: I don't own the sources of my reference characters either. I don't want to spell out which companies own those sources so as to not ruin the reference for those who haven't caught on yet...)


	4. April

Date: Friday, April 1st  
Time: 6:23 PM  
Oh boy… All day long… April Fool's Day… Almost feels like I'm back in High School… Yu had a really bad joke about charging me $200 a day for that mural, he actually had me going too… Damn him and his poker face, he could clean house with that mug of his… Alice actually put one of her empty beehives in my shop, damn that's clever… And Maggie, don't get me started on the mischief me and Maggie pulled on each other today. It was all in good fun though…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Monday, April 4th  
Time: 11:46 AM  
Left my phone at home this morning when I went to work. Still excited about my new sandwich shop. Anyway, I don't wanna' go through my workday with it buzzing every 5 seconds. Ok, that might be an exaggeration, after all not all of those texts came from one day. Maybe I should have her number blocked…? I don't really care what she has to say to me, I have nothing to say to her…  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 2:47 PM  
Maggie is far too sexy in that one-piece bikini… I saw her in it when she got off work, she gave me a sultry smile and wink… Then my tail started making its own breeze… Maybe it's the Spring hormones…  
Rennart DeWitt

Wednesday, April 6th  
Time: 8:47 PM  
Cuddled, pretty much as we usually do… When my phone goes off, Maggie grabbed it before I did and asked me in a somewhat irritated tone why I don't get rid of my old phone. I don't really know, I always think about doing so but then I always forget to… I should… It does nothing but bring up old memories, especially now with one such old memory stubbornly trying to get ahold of me… She said that she'd throw it away for me if I just asked her to… To my surprise, I actually asked her to… With that, Maggie cut another tie back to Judith I had… I love my Maggie… She told me that she'd thrown away her cellphone on the boat ride to the Rapture Lighthouse… I guess I shouldn't be surprised, she did say she wanted a fresh start away from her helicopter, money-grubbing parents trying to force her into an arranged marriage with some pig… A chance to make her own life… I'll be there for you, Maggie, just like you're there for me when I need you most…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Saturday, April 9th  
Time: 2:14 PM  
I asked Maggie something that ended up being an issue with Judith… I said to her, in the event that we get that far, what would she think about having a family? She giggled and replied that she would happily give me as many mutant fox-otter hybrid babies as I wanted but in exchange I would have to make her my wife… She said she was kidding about the mutant fox-otters but she was dead-serious about everything else… At the end of that we both agreed that it's far too soon but I just wanted to know where she stood on an issue that ended my relationship with Judith. She simply stated that "that bloody rabbit's a dopey buggin' twat…"  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 5:47 PM  
I'm still reelin' from what all Ren tol' me t'day… What a selfish bloody twat that rabbit is… An' what a fat load o' bullocks! Bloody 'ell "medical concerns" me arse, biggest load of ol' tosh I ever did 'ear! I mean 'e did tell me th' whole bloody tale, even when 'e was in th' wrong… Said he still feels bad 'bout th' way 'e treated that rabbit's new love but the rabbit…! That bloody rabbit…! She jus' makes me so narkered…! Ren deserves t' be 'appy too damnit!  
Magnolia Kaldwin

Date: Monday, April 11th  
Time: 7:46 PM  
Ren's place closes at 7:30 but 'e usually lets me hang aroun'. I wore a two-piece t'day special for 'im… I watched me handsome fox knead 'is bread with 'is tail waggin'. Not hard t' imagine what 'e's wantin' t' do t' me... What I'd revel in 'im doin' t' me… Anyways, bloody bread's finally in th' bloody oven, an' I've been waitin', sittin' on th' counter… 'E comes up with that lovely smile of 'is, an' after callin' me a tease we started snoggin' like a coupla' teenagers on th' season for th' first time… Ren still makes me fur stand on end…  
Magnolia Kaldwin

Date: Tuesday, April 12th  
Time: 8:44 PM  
Rennart has closed his shop for today… Magnolia seems to love visiting him at the end of her work days, however she did not seem thrilled about my presence… I would not bother them normally, however my usual spot for artistic reflection and creative pondering has recently become quite a bit more troublesome than I would like… I am not normally a volatile individual but I would like nothing more at present than to find the individual who decided to place that damnable vending machine near my usual roost and wring his neck for it… I can have no quiet reflection whilst its electronic cackling and calliope garbage are belted out at top volume along with its typical slogan…! Wretched thing, all I crave from it is for it to return to a state of silence and disrepair…!  
Sakamoto Yusuke

Date: Wednesday, April 13th  
Time: 10:22 AM  
For the second day in a row, Yu showed up at my shop to hang around all day. I don't have a problem with all-day patrons, Yusuke loves to drink hot tea with a little milk and a couple spoons of sugar… Wait… Is it bad that he comes here so often I know his regular order before he makes it? I dunno' but it feels weird… Anyway, I listened to him talk about why he's showing up so often… He has developed a rivalry of sorts with a Circus of Values vending machine… *laughter* For cryin' out loud, of all the stupid reasons to-... *more laughter* I'm sorry, Yusuke but this is too funny…!  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Friday, April 15th  
Time: 2:18 PM  
My beekeeping has kept me a bit too busy… I haven't been able to visit my friends in a while… Ren's at his sandwich shop, I think he likes his business being small, he doesn't seem to entertain the thought of expanding. "Focus on the present, Alice," he told me when I brought it up. Beyond that, he gave no inclination to expanding his operations… He did tell me that the bread he makes from a bit of my honey sells really well though and he'll need to keep buying more honey to keep up with demand… In other news, Maggie shows up here wearing her bikini and just loves to tempt that poor fox of hers. Speaking of foxes, I wondered where Yusuke got to, turns out he's been here the whole time… Did he really allow himself to be run out of Arcadia by a Circus of Values machine? I swear I will never understand that man… It's kinda' funny, but still...  
Alison Gainsborogh

Date: Saturday, April 16th  
Time: 11:44 PM  
We all headed to the Kashmir to have dinner and a few drinks to celebrate my successful business… Personally, I think it's a little too soon to celebrate but my friends think otherwise… Thought I saw that rabbit, maybe not… I dunno'... If it was her, here's hoping she didn't notice us, the last thing I want is for her to know I'm here in Rapture… Alice thinks I've been working too hard and that I'm hallucinating from exhaustion… Guess that could be it, gonna' take it easy tomorrow, maybe even take Monday off… As for the shop, not sure, might hire some help to keep it open on Monday…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Wednesday, April 20th  
Time: 2:44 PM  
Of all the-...! Of course it HAD to be her…! Damn rabbit, even Rapture isn't far enough away from her that I'd never have to see her again! After work today, I'm gonna' find out what she wants and possibly tell her to scram…! She recognized me, I know she did, if I can pick her out of a crowd there's no way she can't do the same…!  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 7:55 PM  
Transcript of conversation after closing time  
Rennart, "What are YOU doing here, rabbit?!"  
Judith, "I'm in Rapture on a case for Interpol. I never imagined I'd run into you down here… So this is where you ran off to…"  
Rennart, "Get out of my shop, Hopps… Get out and don't come back…"  
Judith, "Nick, listen-..."  
Rennart, "No, you listen for once in your life! You listen to me! I'm not Nicholas Wilde anymore, my name is Rennart DeWitt! And I am HAPPY, here in Rapture! Away from YOU! Now you come hippity-hopping your way into MY sandwichera?! Get outta' here, Hopps!"  
Judith, "Look, I need to find this missing person and I think you know her…"  
Rennart, "Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you about it…!"  
Judith, "I couldn't help but notice this lovely mural, do you know the artist personally?"  
Rennart, "I thought I told you to get outta' my shop?"  
Judith, "One of the people painted in this mural looks a lot like the missing person I'm looking for… A light brown otter…"  
Rennart, "...!"  
Judith, "So you do know her? I need to know…!"  
Rennart, "Fine, you wanna' know so badly? She's my new girlfriend! And she's down here because she doesn't WANT to go back to the surface! She has a new identity and she's made herself a new life here away from her money-grubbing parents, just like I made myself a new life here to get away from my bitch of an ex-girlfriend…!  
Judith, "Nicholas Wilde!"  
Rennart, "What? You don't honestly think you could rip my heart out and I wouldn't hold a grudge for it, did you?"  
Judith, "Ok, grudges aside… I NEED to get her to come back, it's-..."  
Rennart, "Lemme guess, you have a promotion riding on this case? What makes you think I would let you take her? Because you wanna' advance your career? Your damn career is what led to all of this in the first place! I honestly don't care what you tell that buffalo, her parents, or Interpol… She's staying here in Rapture!"  
Judith, "I told you it was for medical reasons!"  
Rennart, "A two-year-old can see through that excuse!"  
Judith, "Are you calling me a liar…?!"  
Rennart, "Well you know the saying about boots and fitting…"  
Judith, "So what if it was for my career!? It's my body, my choice!"  
Rennart, "So I take it you still haven't told your parents about Shay? Or the fact that you aborted an unborn child fathered by a fox?"  
Judith, "Don't go there…"  
Rennart, "Touched a nerve, huh? Oh? Did you tell them and they were so upset they disowned you? That'd be hilarious…!"  
Judith, "Do you really hate me so much that you would laugh at me for that…?"  
Rennart, "That… And a number of other things, like if Shay wised up and left you, Bogo fired you, you lost the faith of the public… Things like that…"  
Judith, "Unbelievable… You would take pleasure from my suffering...? Just because I told you I wasn't interested in having children…?"  
Rennart, "I would… Because I gave you everything… You were the center of my whole world, and I meant nothing to you… I was just a walking plushie to you… I was there to make you happy, my happiness never mattered to you at all…"  
Judith, "That's not true!"  
Rennart, "Yes it is! Think back… When was the last time you made any sacrifice on your end for the relationship? You can't remember a time, can you? That's because there wasn't a single instance, I made all the sacrifices…!"  
Judith, "You have changed… You were never this heartless before…"  
Rennart, "Heartless, am I…? Said the pot to the kettle… If I am heartless, it's your fault for ripping it out and crushing it… Now leave… I don't ever wanna' see your face again…"

Date: Friday, April 22nd  
Time: 10:44 AM  
I heard Judith boarded the last bathysphere to the surface this morning. What surprises me is that she didn't even try to take Maggie with her… Maybe I should talk to Maggie about that argument, she deserves to know… My mind's a mess right now… I want Judith out of my life for good but I feel outraged, tired, and distressed all at the same time… Wilde's doing to me for sure, he still holds on to her, as for me I'm done with her… I just wish I didn't have to deal with Nick Wilde's lingering feelings for that treacherous rabbit…  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 7:29 PM  
Maggie was a bit miffed at me for letting on that I knew who Hopps was after. Aside from that, she reassured me that she's by my side… She said that Hopps would have a devil of a time getting her to go back to the surface. As long as I have Maggie, I think everything will be alright…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Monday, April 24th  
Time: 9:22 AM  
The entire Adonis area has been sealed off. An infestation of mutant drug-fiend retards made it into the area and now the whole area of Adonis is flooded with seawater. I asked Mr. Fisk how long it's gonna' be before those of us who work in the area can go back to work, he replied that the Big Daddies are fixing up the infrastructure in the area, after that, they're gonna' open the pneumo tubes in the Adonis area and pump the seawater out through the pneumo system. Until then, Yusuke has introduced us to a thrill sport unique to Rapture called Air-Grabbing. Apparently, the teenagers of Rapture's previous population used to make motorized rotary hooks called Air-Grabbers and use them for thrills.  
Damnit, my entire stock of bread, ingredients, and premade sandwiches are gonna' be completely useless. Gonna' have to order a whole new stock of everything…  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Wednesday, April 26th  
Time: 3:18 PM  
Hopps came back to Rapture, looks like she's ready to try to take Maggie by force. Maggie said she had a few things to say to Hopps anyway but she would NOT be going with her. I put a revolver with a clip full of armor-piercers in her paw anyway and told her to hide it on herself and use it if Hopps threatened her or tried to grab her. I have mine too and there's no way I'm letting Maggie confront Hopps alone…  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 5:29 PM  
The Welcome Hall is full of Big Daddies. Looks like the talking heads are as pleased to see Hopps as I am… She's decked out like she's ready for this to turn violent… Full riot gear and everything. I didn't catch much of that conversation but it looks like she's not leaving. Mrs. Janet Halloway, one of the talking heads, told Hopps to leave. That the ZPD and Interpol have no say in what happens in Rapture or who is allowed to live down here. Maggie asked me to leave her to talk to Judith on her own. I'm not so sure about this but she tells me to trust her...  
Rennart DeWitt

Time: 5:44 PM  
Transcript of conversation  
Judith, "Kristina Hammerlock, I take it…? Your family is desperate to find you…"  
Maggie, "Desperate to use me, y'mean?"  
Judith, "Ms. Hammerlock, please… I didn't come to argue this with you."  
Maggie, "No, jus' drag me back t' me parents against me will f'r your own benefit…"  
Judith, "I don't know what Nick told you about me but I'm just trying to help…"  
Maggie, "Y'can help by leavin'... Righ' now an' neva' coming back…!"  
Judith, "Ms. Hammerlock-..."  
Maggie, "I don' bloody care! Not about your bloody career, not about me supposed 'family', an' certainly not about you! I'm not Kristina Hammerlock no more, th' name's Magnolia Kaldwin! What I do care 'bout is Ren an' I won' let you 'urt 'im no more!"  
Judith, "Ren? Oh, you mean Nick… Look, he's not the nice guy you think he is… As soon as there's something he wants from you, he'll put you through hell to get it…"  
Maggie, "Think I 'ear a phonecall from th' pot for ya' Ms. Kettle… 'E tol' me this much, 'e gave ya' everything 'e could… Woulda' given more if 'e could an' ya' ripped 'is heart out…! Would givin' 'im th' family 'e wan's so bad really be so bad? Well, it don' matter, I already tol' 'im I would if it came t' that… You're a selfish dopey buggin' twat an' I don' want none o' your rubbish! Off with ya'!"  
Judith, "I really don't want to argue this with you… I don't care about your opinion of me or your relationship with Nicholas… You're coming with me whether you want to or not!"  
Maggie, "Paws off ya' bloody wanka'!" *slapping sound* "Keep yer filthy mitts offa' me! I tol' you already I'm not goin'! Now once again, bugger off ya' bloody twat!"

Time 6:04 PM  
I watched as Maggie slapped Judith for grabbing at her and pulled that gun… Whatever Maggie said to her, it escalated into her shouting "No bloody way! Now f'r the last time, bugger off!" at the top of her lungs. "An' don' come back!" she followed up as we watched that damned rabbit board the bathysphere back to the surface. When we got back to my flat, Maggie was overcome with emotions and spent the next half an hour with her head over the toilet. She told me that she actually seriously considered killing my ex… Looking back, I don't regret giving her the gun but as much as I've come to hate Hopps, I actually wouldn't want her to die… Weird huh?  
Rennart DeWitt

Date: Saturday, April 29th  
Time: 9:26 AM  
I can't wait for my shop to reopen any longer… I'm running my sandwichera as a delivery service until the maintenance on Adonis is completed. Managed to get my business phone line re-routed to my apartment, with Maggie also out of work, she's decided to help me… There's something wonderful about us running the shop together like this… It almost feels like riding the squadcar with Hopps back when that was a thing but, unlike Hopps, Maggie actually loves me… Thanks to Maggie, I have my smile back… Thanks to Maggie, I can bury what's left of my lingering feelings for Hopps for good… Maybe now, I can bury Nicholas Wilde for good… One thing I can say for sure though, I'm finally at peace with how things ended between me and Hopps…  
Rannart DeWitt


End file.
